MICROSOFT, together with the Ministry of Education in Kenya is in the process of implementing programs that will enable all schools in Kenya to be online.

According to Microsoft Corporate and Social Responsibility East and South Africa Manager Mark Matunga, plans were underway to ensure that all schools in Kenya get to be digitized with the curriculum installed from primary to high school at the shortest time possible.

He said N.G.O.s have so far played a key role in trying financing similar projects in the country with the government and the I.C.T board chipping in.

Speaking in Nairobi, Matunga said Microsoft was working together with the Kenya Institute of Education (KIE) in developing digital content that is mapped into the current curriculum and said so far the programme for form one was complete and they were working on form two which they hoped would take about six months to complete.

“Students will in future able to study online by using this new curriculum that we will have installed in their respective schools. Government will also save on costs of buying text books and also avoid scams like the recent one of money being misused at the Ministry of Education” said Matunga.

He also said the government was making efforts to ensure that all teachers were ICT compliant by ensuring all the Teachers Training Colleges were equipped with the latest technology and online.

The minister said that the programme that was being installed in school computers was user friendly and easy to learn.

BRIAN ADERO in Nairobi, Kenya

Muhia

It is important they think of attitude first and remember all these facilities are manged by people. Being IT compliant does not in any way make the people trustworthy. Additionally, all students in schools have to be reasonably computer literate. How that will be achieved in order to make learners benefit from technology especially in rural areas remains a huge task.

This is a good idea but still far from the reality. Efforts and resources should first be directed towards equipping of children with computer knowledge. Then, this shall trigger the demand for digital/online learning.

This a positive way forward, if only they could tap in the innovative concepts like http://www.elimu.co.ke/exams where individuals are making business cases in an effort to tap in the potentials.
These ideas are dying without seeing the light of day, Microsofts’ of this world give chance to upcoming African business ideas.